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Self-reported calcium use in a cohort of postmenopausal women receiving osteoporosis therapy: results from POSSIBLE US™

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Abstract

Summary

Calcium use was common and remained high among women on osteoporosis therapy. Use of calcium-supplemented pharmacologic therapy increased from 65.1 to 76.0 % in these women (mean follow-up, 27.5 months). Over 12 months, calcium discontinuation was fairly similar among women using calcium only (23.7 %) and women supplementing pharmacologic therapy with calcium (22.5 %).

Introduction

Calcium has an important role in bone health. This study describes calcium use and persistence in a postmenopausal osteoporosis treatment cohort.

Methods

Subject-reported calcium use was analyzed for 3,722 participants of the Prospective Observational Scientific Study Investigating Bone Loss Experience (POSSIBLE USTM) who used calcium either as their sole osteoporosis treatment (calcium only) or to supplement pharmacologic osteoporosis therapy (supplementers). Descriptive analyses were conducted. Kaplan-Meier methods were used to estimate the probability of discontinuing calcium therapy, and logistic regression was used to assess associations (age-adjusted odds ratios) between healthy behaviors and calcium use.

Results

At entry, there were 711 calcium-only subjects and 1,960 of 3,011 subjects on pharmacologic osteoporosis therapy also supplementing with calcium (supplementers). The percentage of supplementers increased from 65.1 to 76.0 % during follow-up (mean, 27.5 months). During the first 12 months on study, the probability of calcium discontinuation was 23.7 % (95 % confidence interval [CI], 20.7 − 27.0) among calcium-only subjects and 22.5 % (95 % CI, 20.7–24.5) among supplementers. Supplementers who discontinued pharmacologic therapy were more likely to discontinue calcium than supplementers who continued pharmacologic therapy (34.9 versus 14.8 %). Overall 54.2 % of calcium-only subjects who discontinued calcium and 42.3 % of supplementers who discontinued calcium resumed calcium use during follow-up. Regular exercise was positively correlated with calcium use at study entry.

Conclusions

Calcium supplementation in pharmacologically treated subjects increased over time. Persistence with calcium was high. Discontinuation of pharmacologic osteoporosis therapy was associated with an increased likelihood of discontinuing calcium use.

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Acknowledgments

The authors would like to acknowledge the other members of the POSSIBLE US™ Steering Committee: Barbara Lukert, Robert Rubin, and Anna Tosteson. We would also like to thank Aalok Nadkar and Patrick Ventura for their assistance in analyzing the data, and Mandy Suggitt, of Amgen Inc., who provided editorial assistance. Funding for this study was provided by Amgen Inc.

Conflicts of interest

EBC, RWD, TG, MH, and RRR previously received remuneration from Amgen Inc. for participation in the POSSIBLE US™ Steering Committee. SWW has received consulting fees from Amgen Inc. BS is an employee of Amgen Inc. and owns Amgen Inc. stock and/or stock options.

Statement of human rights

All procedures were in accordance with the ethical standards of the institutional and/or national research committee and with the Helsinki declaration. Informed consent was obtained from all participants in the study.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Division of Epidemiology, Department of Family Medicine and Public Health, School of Medicine, University of California, San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla, CA, 92093-0607, USA

    E. Barrett-Connor & T. Ganiats

  2. Wade Outcomes Research and Consulting, 358 South 700 East, Suite B-432, Salt Lake City, UT, 84013, USA

    S. W. Wade

  3. Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine, 1101 E Marshall Street, 7-015, PO Box 980111, Richmond, VA, 23298, USA

    R. W. Downs

  4. Division of Rheumatology and Clinical Immunology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, 10 S. Pine St., MSTF 8-34, Baltimore, MD, 21201, USA

    M. Hochberg

  5. Osteoporosis Research Center, Creighton University, 601 N 30th St., Omaha, NE, 68131, USA

    R. R. Recker

  6. Amgen Inc., One Amgen Center Drive, MS: 28-3-A, Thousand Oaks, CA, 91320, USA

    B. S. Stolshek

Authors
  1. E. Barrett-Connor
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  2. S. W. Wade
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  3. R. W. Downs
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  4. T. Ganiats
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  5. M. Hochberg
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  6. R. R. Recker
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  7. B. S. Stolshek
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to E. Barrett-Connor.

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Barrett-Connor, E., Wade, S.W., Downs, R.W. et al. Self-reported calcium use in a cohort of postmenopausal women receiving osteoporosis therapy: results from POSSIBLE US™. Osteoporos Int 26, 2175–2184 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00198-015-3128-8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00198-015-3128-8

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